


The Nightmarchers

by Selma



Series: Stealing Fire [2]
Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 05:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10847673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selma/pseuds/Selma
Summary: Maui looks for trouble and finds it.





	1. Chapter 1

Tamatoa’s day had looked like it was going to be yet another amazing and great day in the life of Tamatoa. He organized his shiny treasures. He added some shiny trinkets to his shell here and there. It was one for the books. The water above his lair reflected light as sudden movement disturbed the waters above. And here was his lunch, right on time.

Tamatoa opened his mouth wide…

… and was promptly hit between the eyes by a couple of feet as Maui used him as temporary springboard to finish his fall down with a stylish somersault.

“Ten of ten, right?” the tattoo on the demigod’s chest proudly agreed. “Yeah, man!”

Tamatoa rubbed the spot Maui had hit and glowered at the demigod who grinned at the crab.

“Sorry, didn’t see where I was landing.”

“Clearly.” Tamatoa took a few steps so he was slightly behind Maui, forcing the other to glance over his shoulder. The crab lowered himself and raised his claws slightly. You never knew what mood the demigod was in. Specifically, what kind of adventure he’d decided for the day.

Was it the classic; trick the big bad monster out of his hard earned treasure?

Could it be the tried and true; make the big bad monster give up the location of an ancient and legendary artefact through trickery?

Or was it the slightly newer, more confusing; lounging about in the big bad monster’s lair. A monster, one might add, that was going to eat a certain demigod one of these days. Seriously. It was going to happen.

With all that in mind, Maui somehow managed to looked offended when Tamatoa demanded to know why he was in Lalotai this time.

“Can’t a demigod pay his favorite crab a visit?”

Tamatoa didn’t dignify that with a response which didn’t deter the demigod the slightest.

“Fine, I was bored. So I was thinking I’d hang out here for a while.”

Tamatoa relaxed a fraction and Maui took that as cue to launch himself up on the crab’s carapace.

“Hang… out?” Tamatoa’s eyes swiveled to look at Maui.

“Yeah! Let’s do something! Shake things up in Lalotai. You and me!” if Tamatoa had been a human, Maui would’ve slung his arm around his shoulders. He had to settle for reaching his arm around the crab’s neck as much as could. Still, he got a pretty good grip.

“What… you mean go on an adventure?” Tamatoa looked at Maui with a smile that slowly stretched out across his sizeable face.

“Yeah, sure if you’re up for it! Not sure how you’re going to get of this place, I mean the size of you.”

“I’m not going to go off frolicking through Lalotai with you, babe.”

“Crab cakes, I never want to see you _frolic_ anywhere,” Maui said, a note of urgency in his voice.

“He’s says after I’ve let him touch my antennae.”

“You practically begged me to.” Maui waggled his eyebrows in a way that was not fitting for a demigod. “I’ll do it again if you come with me.” He gave Tamatoa a friendly squeeze around the part of the neck he could reach. Being Maui it was more _stop or my eyes will pop_ than _friendly_  from Tamatoa’s perspective.

The crustacean delicately removed the arm and placed Maui back on the sandy floor.

“No.” Tamatoa said. “Now go away.” He gave Maui a little shove with his claw and added the coup de grace: “Shoo!”

Maui gave the claw a look like it had grown a second pair of eyes, “Did you just ‘shoo’ me?”

Tamatoa did it again.

“Fine! I’ll go ask someone else if you’re going to be crabby,” Maui grumbled.

Tamatoa didn’t give Maui any reaction to the last part, instead he latched onto an entirely different direction for their friendly conversation: “One of your _human friends_? Well then, you better hurry. Who knows if anyone you knew is still alive? I mean one of them that you actually remember the name of.”

“I know their names,” Maui protested.

“Sure you do,” Tamatoa patted Maui’s cheek. Since his claw was huge it was a few condescending pats on the cheek that would’ve knocked Maui’s head off if he hadn’t been a demigod. Tamatoa’s lips curled.

“It’s okay, babe. Completely understandable. All these years that just go on and on. No wonder you don’t remember any of their names. They come and go, and there you are. Same as always.”

Maui was so deliciously emotional without even knowing it. All that bravado, covering up aching wounds. Was it any wonder that as a scavenger, Tamatoa sometimes couldn’t resist picking at them?

The demigod glared at him, “It’s not like that.”

“Of course not. The important thing is that they remember your name. Otherwise, where would you be if no one remembered the great Maui?”

Tamatoa didn’t feel bad at all when Maui when left without another word. He knew his way out, the crab reasoned.

 

*******

As the god of agriculture, Lono knew the importance of hard work. He also knew the importance of taking a break now and then to enjoy the fruit of his labor. You needed to take the time to lie down and listen. Lono could hear the soil breathing beneath him. The whispers of the seedlings when they saw the sun for the first time. He could hear his wife Laka singing quietly. Above him he heard the beat of a hawk’s wings as it… oh no. Lono quickly got back on his feet again.

“Cheeeehoooo!“

The demigod didn’t greet Maui right away, he was busy looking down where Maui had landed after his transformation. The demigod followed his gaze and then hurriedly stepped to the side.

“Sorry man, didn’t see where I was landing." He added, a bit bashfully; "I should work on that.”

Poor seedlings. Crushed before their time. They had so much left to grow.

Lono mustered up a smile, his wife coming up beside him.

“Maui, what brings you here?”

“Just wanted to check in on you guys.”

“How thoughtful of you, Maui.” Laka said and then, without missing a beat: “Have you been eating well?”

“Yeah, no worries.”

“You look half starved,” Laka continued.

Maui looked down on himself.  Then up at Laka. “No, I look fine.” He smiled at her and winked.

Lono was a patient god but… _come on_.

Laka’s smiled beatifically, “I’m going to go get you boys some snacks.”

“Good idea, I’m going to need the energy,” Maui said brightly.

Lono dreaded to ask.

“I thought I’d help you out with… “ Maui glanced at the crushed greenery. “All this.”

“Farming?” Lono had some doubts.

“Yeah. Sure.” Maui shrugged. “That.”

“That’s not necessary, Maui.”

“The least I could do after I trampled your stuff. I know a thing or two about farming. You hear about the coconuts?”

He had and Lono was horrified, “You buried an eel in the ground. Farming is a bit different.”

“The concept is similar.”

"Sure you wouldn't prefer fighting monster in Lalotai instead?"

"I'm done with Lalotai for now," Maui said darkly.

Lono suspected he was going to need another lie down after this.

 

*******

 

It turned out, that if pointed in the right direction, Maui was both useful and effective. Lono was relieved when they finished planting the new field in no time.

“What now?” Maui asked, bouncing on his heels.

“Now we wait.” Lono sat down, clapping his hand on Maui’s shoulder to make him follow suit. “The seeds will break open in the ground, and they will burst forth and meet the sun,” Lono sighed, “That’s my favorite part.”

“And when is that going to happen? Like now or… ?”

Lono looked at Maui.

“Oh so a lot of waiting? Because when I planted the eel it was like… boom! Coconuts! Hooray for Maui!” the demigod’s tattoos joined in on the cheering.

“Maui… “ Lono cleared his throat.

Maui’s face fell, “You’re not going to tell me a farming parable again, are you?”

“All growing things start out as a seeds.”

The demigod buried his face in his hands.

“In the beginning theirshape is not much to look at but with time, hard work and a few but necessary breaks to enjoy the sunlight… ”

“You _are_ telling me another farming parable.” Maui mumbled into his hands.

“… the seeds will grow into a beautiful field of crops that in turn will be a part of a healthy and nutritious breakfast. Which is what all growing boys need.” Lono nudged Maui. “Do you understand?”

“… don’t skip breakfast?”

“You must tend to your field of crops.”

“But I don’t have any… oh wait, you’re still doing the parable.”

“If you’re not careful you will end up being as restless and lost as the Nightmarchers.”

Maui looked up, “The what now?”

“They are the spirits of great human warriors, cursed to walk across the islands. Never finding any rest or satisfaction. The only thing known is that when they march, the birds are silent and the night is filled with their haunted chants.”

“Great warriors?”

Lono was starting to feel good about this. Maui never showed this much interest when Lono tried to impart important life lessons. “Yes, the greatest that man has ever known and yet they are cursed.”

“And where can I meet these guys?”

“No one has ever seen the Nightmarchers and told the tale. All who look upon them are cursed, forced to walk with them on their eternal journey, seeking what they will never find.”

“No one has seen them? Like not anyone at all?”

Lono nodded as he turned to face the other. He flinched when he saw Maui's grin.

“Maui. Don’t.” The god had never tried to be stern before. He made his very best attempt at it.

“Can you imagine being the first to see something like that? The greatest warriors of man meeting the greatest hero of all.”

“Please, Maui, you’d be lost.”

Maui had already grabbed his hook.

As the shape of the hawk became smaller and smaller, Laka returned.

“Oh, did Maui leave?"

“He’s going to go find the Nightmarchers,” Lono said hollowly.

“Oh my. Then I should’ve made packed some snacks for him to take with him.”

“Laka?”

“Yes, dear?”

“He’s a very excitable boy, isn’t he?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Not very interested in seeds and such.”

“Not at all, I’d wager.”

Lono sighed again.

“Do you need a lie down, dear?”

“Yes, I think that would be best.” Lono laid his head down to rest on his wife’s lap, “Just for a few minutes, I think.”

A very excitable young boy that Maui.


	2. Chapter 2

It never thought itself to be the kind of eel that had a death wish but the eel was starting to learn quite a lot about itself. One of the things the eel had learned was that its weakness for all things shiny had led it to its death. At least it thought so at first. 

When it fell from the ocean down into the lair of Tamatoa, the crab had grabbed onto him with one claw; holding the eel in a steady grip. It had tried to escape but gone limp once it realized that it was of no use. In that short time, the eel had come to term with its death; it was ready to face whatever came next.

Then Tamatoa started talking.

Then Tamatoa never stopped talking. 

”And you know what the idiot said next? Come on, guess,” Tamatoa stared expectantly at the eel.

 It was starting to get really nervous. This was not the way things were supposed to go. The eel knew because it had devoured its fair share of unsuspecting prey and this was a torture it was wholly unfamiliar with. Sure, the eel could talk as well as Tamatoa, what with being a magical eel but you didn’t see it bore anyone to death just because it could. Right now, the eel wished it wasn’t magical since a regular eel would’ve suffocated by now.

“Right, you’ll never guess. You’re just an eel. Anyway, Maui says he wants to hang out. Can you believe it? Hang out with the great Tamatoa. As if I wouldn’t know that he’s after something. They always are, you know. Then he has the nerve to pretend to be offended. He’s been sulking for days now. Can you believe it? Of course, you can’t. You’re just an eel. What do you know?”

This, the eel felt, was a bit unfair. “I know about Maui." It was going to be eaten anyway. Hopefully soon. Might as well get in a few last word, and these were pretty great. “I know how he’s going to die.” The eel’s grin was made out of narrow and needle like teeth. “Maui has declared that he will find the Nightmarchers.”

“The Nightmarchers…” Tamatoa echoed and rubbed a claw under his chin thoughtfully. It was the same claw that held the eel and the creatures was haplessly thrown back and forth.

“Are we talking about the same Nightmarchers here? Spirits of ancient warriors? Enjoys long, eternal strolls on the beach? Anyone who happens to cross their path and look upon them are cursed? Those Nightmarchers?”

“Uh… yeah?”

“Of course it is! Do you know of any other Nightmarchers?” Tamatoa suddenly seemed to lose interest in his dinner, even though his grip was still strong. The crab was gazing up at the sky light in his cave.

 _Maui_. 

That stupid, idiotic…

“He’s going to get himself killed,” Tamatoa snarled, “Do you have any idea how disappointing that would be?”

The crab practically shouted the last part right in the eel’s face before he started gesticulating wildly with his claws, forcing the eel to go along for the ride.

“I haven’t even had another chance to eat him for… at least a hundred years! And if I tell him; Hey babe, how about not going and get cursed for all eternity?  you just know he’s going to want to do it even more. Worse, if I tell him not to do it he’ll… “Tamatoa looked like he was going to be seriously ill, “He’ll think I care about what he does. Can you believe that?” 

Yeah, I can, the eel thought but said: “Why don’t you lie?”

Both of Tamatoa’s eye stalks swiveled and focused on the catch in his grip, “Dinner says what?”

“I mean… “ the eel continued, hoping that maybe if it kept the crab’s attention it would finally be granted the sweet release of death, “Isn’t that what you do? Like how you lured me down here.”

“Well, I think Maui has more brains than you. No offense.” Tamatoa said, “But you’ve earned your way off tonight’s menu.”

The eel was filled with a renewed appreciation for life at this unexpected turn of events.

“All you have to do is a small favor for me.”

“Yeah, I could do that!” the eel said, “Anything!”

“Good. Also, don’t tell Maui I said that he had more brains than an eel. It’ll really go to his head.”

“But um… how am I going to get back to the ocean?” the eel glanced upwards.

“I don’t just have a good set of pipes I have a good throwing arm too.” Tamatoa smiled. “Well. Throwing claw.”

Maybe death would still claim the eel this day.

 

*******

 

The humans had been happy to tell him their stories about the Nightmarchers. It turned out there was a lot and it started to occur to Maui that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start to pay attention to stories that wasn’t about him. Although, they were pretty great and had it all. 

The stories about the Nightmarchers hadn’t been that great in Maui’s opinion. Not just because the general lack of beating up Kakamora. The stories were vague on what the spirits had done in life to be known as great warriors in death. Not exactly clear exactly where they marched on top of that. Mostly the stories seemed to be a good way to make sure children went to sleep when they should. There had been an old woman who said the Nightmarchers had taken her husband long ago because he never cleaned their hut but the entire time she told the story, there been a grandpa-looking man glaring at her so Maui wasn’t exactly sure what their deal been.

After he bid them farewell, accepted their thanks and the usual fare, Maui had returned to his canoe and sailed away. While he considered his next move he let out a fishing line and waited.

If there were any spirits worth meeting, then he would find them and see for himself. If he could just figure out a way around the curse. That part the stories had been clear on. Otherwise Maui didn’t feel like he knew anymore about the Nightmarchers than he done since Lono first told him about them. The humans had their stories but he knew firsthand that their stories weren’t always based on the truth. The stories they told about him were mostly right but some of them got a bit ridiculous. Like the one how he emerged fully formed from the ocean and into the loving arms of his mother. Hearing that one was like taking Tamatoa’s claw to the chest.

Thankfully there was a firm pull on his fishing line and he happily began dragging it in to see what the catch of the day was. Maui would be pleased even if it was a murderous crab if it meant a distraction from his thoughts.

However he hadn’t expected whatever it was he caught to beg him not to eat it. Oh great, it wasn’t as if he had enough of talkative sea creatures as it was.

“What are you supposed to be?” Maui pulled the eel up to take a closer look. It wasn’t as impressive as the one he buried to create coconuts.

“I’m a magical eel!”

Maui perked up at that, “Do I get three wishes if I don’t eat you?”

“Right, I can see why you would assume that but - “

“Two wishes?”

“No, I’m not that kind - “

“One wish wouldn’t be too much to ask for.”

The eel stared at him.

“Okay, fine. No wishes. Tell me why I shouldn’t eat you then,” Maui gave himself a few pats on his stomach. He was actually starting to get a bit peckish.

“I have a message from Tamatoa, your greatest enemy!”

Maui snorted. Not exactly greatest if he couldn’t even be bothered to fight him instead of shooing him away.

“He heard that you’re looking for the Nightmarchers and he has information for you. So Tamatoa sent me to find you.”

“How did he hear about that?”

“I told him,” the eel said, puffing out its chest… or rather its whole long slippery body got a size bigger, “I get to hear a lot since no one thinks I can understand them.”

Maui wasn’t surprised that word got around. After all, most of the things he did were worth talking about. Maybe not the day he spent helping Lono but he’d been desperately bored. Something Tamatoa hadn’t cared about at all. Now he cared about what Maui was up to all of a sudden.

Although Maui was slightly intrigued. The crab had never sent for him like this. Mostly Tamatoa assumed that Maui would show up sooner or later. That would’ve annoyed Maui more if it hadn’t been true. It was just that Tamatoa was always there. After a couple of decades it was sort of comfortable to have someone who would call him out when he changed a story even the slightest. Someone who would say yes every time Maui started with "Remembered that time we... " and not turn out to be a completely different human because oh hey, the one you were thinking of died while you were off on a quest somewhere.

Even though that someone had tendency to suddenly decide it was good idea to try and eat him or get a bit too personal. Sometimes both at the same time. Tamatoa wasn’t good at drawing lines. Especially when it came to personal stuff.

Still, he hadn’t had any luck with the stories from the different islands. The gods hadn’t been any help either. All of them had just asked Maui why he wanted to find the Nightmarchers. He told them it was because someone had to be the first to see the Nightmarchers. That someone should be Maui. The great hero of all needed to see it for himself. How the Nightmarchers, great in life, had become so lost. Because if they could lose their way… Maui could lose his as well.

He hadn't told them the last part.

And that was just it, wasn’t?

Tamatoa understood. He’d know why Maui would want to do this. Maui had been given immortality by the gods but they never knew desire the same way Maui did. Tamatoa understood. The crab knew what it was like to want and crave. Tamatoa knew what Maui wanted and craved. Sometimes the crab understood it a little too well. Especially when it came to dragging out secrets from Maui that the demigod would’ve preferred the crab not to know.

Or when it came to getting something he wanted from Maui.

Well, he that part he knew how to handle.

*******

 

"What do you want, Tamatoa?” Maui was holding his hook ready, his stance tense.

So he was still miffed about last time.

Tamatoa carefully circled around him, his gaze half lidded. “Oh, nothing really. It’s just that a little birdie whispered in my ear that you were interested in the Nightmarchers.”

“What bird? That eel said it told you about that.”

“That’s not- “

Maui put his hook down to lean on it, “Also, do you have ears because I haven’t- “

“Listen!” Tamatoa’s claw slammed down the sandy floor and he brought his head down to Maui’s level. Only to be met by a smug little satisfied look on the demigod’s face when the sand settled again. The crab wasn’t the only one who knew how to push buttons.

“Have you thought this through?”

“What do you care?” Maui pointed with his hook between the crab’s eyes, “Are you worried I’ll get cursed?”

“No, I- “

“I’ll figure something out. I’m Maui or did you forget?” the demigod flipped his hairs just so it happened to hit Tamatoa in the eye. ”I can flex to jog your memory, if you like.”

“Not really – “

“Check this out! I can bounce myself between my pecs!”

“Babe- “

“Look at him go!”

Tamatoa wondered If Maui would mind it terribly if he pinched his stupid face off his… uh… face. He took a deep breath instead before he continued: “What would you say if I told you I already figured it out for you?”

Maui looked up from his flexing and gave his pecs a rest. Not that they needed it of course, he could do that for hours. Tamatoa knew from experience. The demigod somehow gotten into his thick head with that shiny and soft hair that Tamatoa was impressed by what the humans considered attractive. Like he cared about perfectly toned muscles, glistening skin with black lines of art and- oh right.

Maui was actually listening to him now.

“Ever hear about the Eye of Kaulu?” the crab said with careful nonchalance. When Maui just raised an eyebrow at him, the crab carried on, “Kaulu was a god who could see what others couldn’t.”

“Didn't he die somehow? When he tried to steal from the gods?”

“Yes, which means he’s not going to use his eye any time soon and I know where it is. Should do the trick for the Nightmarchers.”

“And what do you want for that kind of information, huh?” Maui gave Tamatoa's chin a few affectionate schratches.

Oh, nice. Maybe Maui was done sulking at least.

“Weeeeeell… “

The pleasant attention came to a halt. “You’re not getting my hook.”

“Be that way then. Maybe you could owe me a favor?”

“Last time I agreed to that you decided the favor was being your lunch.”

“Heheh, still mad about that?”

“Not really,” Maui said serenely, picking up where he left off, now leaning close to Tamatoa and softly drawing a pattering with his palm. “I did punch you in the throat for that.” The demigod gave a Tamatoa’s chin a nudge with his fist before continuing the soft touches again.

Not that Tamatoa needed a reminder of that. He had talked funny for a week after that one. Not his best moment. His best moment, well one of them, was something else entirely.

“We could reach another kind of agreement,” his claw circled Maui’s knee. Wandering upwards little by little.

“How about I agree not to skewer you with my hook and we can call it even?” Maui was still very close, still caressing his neck gently while his other hand was suddenly brandishing the dreaded hook in question.

Okay, so maybe Maui was still a bit sore. No matter, Tamatoa thought as he did his best to look resigned, the demigod didn’t need to know that Tamatoa was getting what he wanted anyhow.

 

*******

 

According to Tamatoa, when Kaulu died he fell from the sky into the ocean where a great behemoth swallowed the god. When the beast died, it sank through the ocean and down into the deepest crevasse of Lalotai. Its body had turned to stone and both the god and beast forgotten. 

Until Tamatoa somehow got his greedy claws on the information. Maui wasn’t sure how the crab managed that but with Tamatoa’s directions it was easy to find. Just a few monsters along the way that needed a good butt kicking anyhow, a few impossible feats done in a jiffy and Maui found the hulking beast right where Tamatoa said it would be.

As he passed a row of enormous pillars, Maui suddenly realized that it had to be the behemoth’s teeth. Then the floor was… ugh... its tongue. Turned to stone or not, it was still gross.

If the deepest parts of Lalotai were dark, it was nothing compared to compact darkness inside the dead monster. Luckily Maui’s hook provided enough light for the eyes of demigod to see.

All of Lalotai was supposed to be frightening. Maui never really seen it that way. Down here, literally in the belly of the beast, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

“Little trickster… “ a voice came from the shadows not even Maui’s eyes could pierce.

He knew that voice. He wished he didn’t but it was hard to forget. No matter how many years had passed since he first heard it shout his name in rage.

Kapo slithered out of the darkness and if he could see her she was definitely too close already. The goddess looked just like she’d done when he stole the fire from her. Came with being a goddess and all, he supposed. She even had the same look of barely controlled rage on her face.

“Kapo, old girl! Didn’t know you were shacking up in here,” Maui glanced around, “Or down here,” his words rolled out with ease as he gripped his hook tighter.

The goddess bared her teeth, “Where else would I go after you stole the fire from me?”

“Technically, you stole it. I was just returning it to your sister.”

“I heard you gave it to the humans,” Kapo said with a sneer. The inside of the behemoth was almost incomprehensibly big. Kapo filled out the space nicely.

Maui shrugged, “Stuff happened.” Seemed a lot of people and creatures were hearing a lot about him. Completely understandable of course. He was an interesting demiguy.

Kapo towered over Maui; he had to bend his neck to look into her glowing red eyes.

“This was to be my new home, you know. My very own temple,” she said, “It was here I found the means to find and take the fire from my sister. But you ruined all of that, didn’t you? I never forget a slight.”

That was one of Maui’s greatest troubles. The ladies never could forget him.

“Wait… is that MY face on your fat belly?”

Of course, having their moment together immortalized on his own skin didn’t really help in this case, even as Mini-Maui was doing his best trying to hide the scene with a few inked palm fronds.

Also, not true. His belly was not fat.

Kapo’s features twisted with rage, “Give it to me! It’s _my_ face! I will rip it off your fat belly and paint my new home with your guts!"

Again with the insults that weren’t even true. She’d always been the jealous and covetous type.

So unlike Tamatoa’s greed, Maui suddenly thought. The crab’s greed made him seem… human for lack of a better word. It made Tamatoa less of a monster. Because if the crab could understand what Maui wanted, then there was something in the crab that Maui could understand as well.

Kapo was different. It was dark and ugly. Something that slowly turned her into a monster.

“Now don’t be hasty! I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’m just looking for the Eye of Kaulu. I can be on my way as soon as I find it, and then I can put in a good word for you. Help you get back to the surface.” Maui really meant that. Maybe if Kapo got some sun, a bit of island time, she’d calm down a little. Learn to live and let live.

Kapo stilled and a slow grin spread across her face, “Just the one?”

“What?”

“Kaulu, like you and me, had two eyes, trickster,” Kapo rolled her own two eyes at him, “Both were magical. The right let him see anything. The left let him steal anything.”

So, that’s how she stole the fire then.

“I think the right one is the one I’m looking for.”

Best not to be greedy even though the left Eye of Kaulu sounded like something Maui could make use of.

“I no longer possess the right Eye of Kaulu. I only have his left eye. Don’t worry, little trickster. With it I can still make us even.”

That did not sound like a goddess ready for an intervention. More like a vengeful goddess if Maui had to guess.

“You stole my warmth and light. It’s only right I steal from you now.”

Before Kapo finished, Maui had already raised his hook but as the light of his shapeshifting enveloped the demigod — a similarly bright light burst forth from Kapo’s left hand.

Then Maui knew nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tamatoa gets out of his lair to tell some kids to get off his lawn. Maui discovers the local food of Lalotai. Good times are had by all.

It was a shame that he couldn’t brag to Maui how he tricked him. Tamatoa was quite proud of the long game he played. Perhaps the only good thing that came with starting out small. You learned to bide your time.

Over the years he’d always made sure to give Maui some piece of interesting information, some story or rumor of legendary treasure. Sure, he hadn’t always intended to let Maui know as much as he had. There were times when even Tamatoa had been tricked, bamboozled and threatened into revealing what Maui wanted to know.

In the end, it all paid off. Soon enough Maui relied on him and Tamatoa was such a good and reliable source. The demigod hadn't kept up with the latest in Lalotai for some years now, he wouldn't know that Tamatoa already tried to acquire the Eye of Kaulu. Both eyes in fact had sounded to be shiny enough to earn their place on his carapace.

Nothing came out of it however since some other creature or scavenger managed to get to them before Tamatoa even started on his now impressive collection. Yet the knowledge served a different purpose now and was just as valuable in its own way. Maui would have a good romp through Lalotai, of course ending up empty handed. Tamatoa would have to listen to him finding a way to brag about it anyway. If Maui still was stuck on the Nightmarchers then Tamatoa hade other tantalizing pieces to distract Maui with. All in all, he was a temptingly shiny crab.

When several days went by and Maui still hadn’t returned to complain, Tamatoa really started to congratulate himself. Too bad he had to wait at least a couple of decades before rubbing it in Maui’s face. Feeling satisfied and self-assured, Tamatoa nestled down into the sandy floor for a well-earned rest.

 

*******

 

Tamatoa was stirred from the pleasant nap by a cacophony of shrieking and squawking. He raised his head a bit, grumbling as his antennae twitched. Ears or no ears, that had to stop. Even the shiniest of crustaceans needed their beauty sleep. He waited for it to stop, not really looking forward to getting up anytime soon but the shrill screams were only getting louder.

With a huff Tamatoa crawled out of his lair, ready to tear whatever was causing the disturbance into bite-sized pieces.

Outside, further into the strange and twisted growth of Lalotai, was the source of the commotion. One of the more ravenous and active plants had managed to snag a hawk with its brightly colored vines. Said hawk was screeching and fighting tooth and claw, well, beak and claw to get away.

Hawks not being a usual part of Lalotai’s fauna, Maui was easy to recognize, although his feathers were more ruffled than normally. A bit surprising, if Tamatoa had to be honest which he honestly tried to avoid. He had hoped that his distraction would’ve kept Maui busy a little longer.

Strange how he hadn't shapeshifted and cut the plant down yet. Oh well. Tamatoa grinned. He was all for collecting more favors for Maui to owe him. He could come up with another wild chase later.

Tamatoa, with his size, quickly gained the upper claw and used said claw to snip the vines – allowing Maui to fly off. He cut off a couple more of vines to make sure the plant didn’t even think about getting any closer to his home.

As he returned to his lair, Maui used his momentum to glide back down, circling downwards until the crab held out a claw for Maui to land on.

“Did you find the Eye of Kaulu?” Tamatoa asked, doing his best to not grin.

Maui lifted his right wing and started preening.

Ooookay?

Clearly something was up.

Tamatoa had seen Maui sulk before. This wasn’t it. There were usually more threats of violence.

Tamatoa raised his claw to get a closer look. Maui took a break from wing cleaning and met the crab’s gaze. It was definitely, without a doubt, Maui, demigod of the wind and sea. The eyes alert as always but there wasn’t any trace of the usual mischievous gleam.

“I think,” Tamatoa said, “This is was what I wanted to avoid.”

Maybe not exactly  _this_ but this wasn't too far off from being cursed by the Nightmarchers. Which depending what story you preferred, either involved dying the second you saw them and your spirit being forced to march alongside them or having your spirit pulled from your body leaving it an empty shell and then your spirit had to march on for eternity. Few stories about the Nightmarchers had a happy ending.

Maui cawed, flapping his wings a couple of times.

The crab considered his options.

“Well, I never had chicken before… “

Maui tilted his head expectantly at the wide mouth opening in front of him. Tamatoa frowned.

“You know, I had a whole song and dance routine prepared for this. It’s very catchy.”

Maui started preening his left wing.

“I have a feeling you’re not in a state to appreciate my creative efforts at the moment.”

Tamatoa grimaced, baring his teeth at the bird sitting on his claw which Maui took as a cue to start pecking at the barnacles growing there.

Maui squawked indignantly as Tamatoa grabbed him.

“You’re terrible at being a hawk, babe,” Tamatoa said and placed the bird on his back where he calmed down a little. “I’m embarrassed for the both of us.”

This had to be some powerful magic if it had reduced Maui to this. An actual a demigod even though it was easy to forget the way he acted most of the time.

Tamatoa had a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that this could, somehow, be his fault. He had been the one to send Maui off to the grave of an ancient god, who in life had been known to covet and steal various magical artifacts. There was no telling what Maui might’ve found digging around in the belly of the behemoth.

That was a ridiculous notion. Tamatoa was rarely at fault and Maui could handle himself. In fact, the crab had experienced it firsthand.

Still… Maui could be reckless. Look at the company he kept.

“What did you do?” Tamatoa asked Maui who screeched good-naturedly.

There was one thing he could do. Tamatoa knew where to start looking. After all, he’d been the one to send Maui there in the first place. But that meant venturing out into the deepest part of Lalotai.

Leaving his territory.

Leaving his treasure unguarded.

There was always the option of letting Maui stay this way, no matter how little musical appreciation hawks had. In a way, it’s was no different from Maui in his natural form.

There was a swoosh of wings and Tamatoa quickly pulled his head back, narrowly avoiding a pair claws to the soft exposed part of his body.

Perhaps a little too similar to how Maui usually acted but with the added factor that he was completely unreasonable now.

Guess he had to fix this if he didn’t want to be spitting up feathers for the coming days.

 

*******

 

Tamatoa was pleased to see that even outside his usual territory the other inhabitants of the realm knew to avoid him. It was also easy to find a cleared path. Maui had left various scenes of epic battle and ruined scenery behind him before whatever this was happened.

“This is why we can never go anywhere nice,” Tamatoa told Maui as the latter glided in lazy circles above the crab’s head.

For the most part, Maui was insistent on keeping close to Tamatoa. Only scouting ahead and then quickly returning to either flap his wings in the crab’s face or mess around on his shell. He didn’t seem to grasp anything outside being a bird but he seemed to know Tamatoa.

The idiot.

Maui was lucky Tamatoa hadn’t decided to eat him earlier. He still could if he wanted to; it was just that he didn’t feel like it. No, he needed to see it in Maui's eyes when he realized that Tamatoa had won once and for all. That no tricks, sweet talk or brute strength could save him. He needed to see the moment when Maui would give up and give in.

Sure, Maui could act like a bird brain sometimes but the current situation was a bit too literal for Tamatoa’s taste.

Speaking of taste, if he’d been back in his lair there would’ve been a punctual delivery of dinner. Now he had to do it like in the good old days. Fortunately, it was easier than he remembered due to the size he reached after securing his lair and Maui was the perfect bait. Now and again a monster that didn’t know what was best for it would try to grab the hawk and Tamatoa could swoop in and deliver the final blow. The latest victim was some sort of lizard thing.

The crab began stripping its warm flesh and shoving it into his mouth while Maui settled on a nearby rock outcropping, watching the scene with keen interest.

“Shoo! You can’t have any, I did all the work,” Tamatoa said as he stuffed himself. That brought him some satisfaction. Maui always hated it when he talked with his mouth full.

Maui didn’t seem to have retained that aversion and just cawed and swooped in for a closer look.

Tamatoa brought down his claw as a wall between the bird and his dinner. Maui rubbed his feathery head against the claw. Oh for the love of…

Using his other claw, Tamatoa dug around in the ground until he found what he was looking for.

“Ah, there we go,” he pushed Maui gently in the right direction, “Grubs. You can have as much as you like. Go on. My treat.”

To his surprise the hawk went right for it. Oh man, this was hilarious. Wait until he told Maui that… oh right. Tamatoa glared at Maui in his current form. This day was just full of disappointment.

“You really are terrible at being a hawk, Maui.”

Maui paid him no mind, busy with Lalotai’s colorful collection of tiny creatures.

“Maybe I can keep you as a pet if nothing else,” Tamatoa mused, “It could at least be a consolation prize. Hey… what are you doing?”

Maui had taken the crab’s momentary distraction as an opportunity to give what was left of the lizard another go. He had already managed to pull off a huge chunk of meat with his sharp beak and before Tamatoa could protest, he’d flown up to land right behind the crab’s head.

“What are you… no, don’t put that on my shell. You’ll mess it up. Wait… are those twigs?” Tamatoa waved the hawk off, “My shell is not a nest!”

Maui lovingly tried to peck the crab’s eye out.

It looked like Tamatoa had no choice. Getting a pet was definitely off the table.

 

*******

 

Here at last, Tamatoa thought not without a small feeling of trepidation. The gaping maw of the beast was before him. This was unknown territory for him. Rushing into possible danger was more Maui’s deal. He’d probably cheeeehoooo:ed right on in without a second thought.

Look where that got him, Tamatoa thought and glanced at the hawk that had settled on his carapace once again to clean his feathers.

Why was he doing this again?

Because Maui would’ve done it. Maybe. If he was bored and in the mood. Nine out of ten times their conversations would end in a fight or with one of them sulking. Okay, lately it had only been four out of ten that ended like that.

Ugh.

If Tamatoa was crab enough to admit that he would miss those other six out of ten times, then he was crab enough to finish what he started.

His bioluminescent markings had flared up long ago, casting some light in the dead beast. It was roomy and kind of cozy, Tamatoa thought. Not the best location but it definitely had potential for a lair.

The thought stayed with him and he pulled his claws close to his body, fighting the sudden instinct to completely retreat.

Maybe it wasn't so much what Maui had found here, rather who or what had found Maui.

Maui, currently and continuously a hawk for the time being, was subdued as well. He'd made himself scarce somewhere on Tamatoa’s shell. As if some memory of this place kept Maui still and watchful. Tamatoa wondered how much he was aware. He had found his way back to Tamatoa. Like a small part of Maui was in there somewhere. That alone made Tamatoa press on.

He didn’t have to press on for long before the shadows around him unfurled. Red beacons lit up the cavernous carcass, revealing grey and cracked lips, gnarled nails and straight, sharp teeth that she seemed to have too many of.

“What do we have here?”

Maui’s stories didn’t do Kapo justice. She was about a thousand times more terrifying than Maui’s flippant tales had made her out to be.

This was it then.

This was the end of the great Tamatoa. The only thing the crab could hope for was when she was done with him, Kapo would turn Maui into a feathery smear.

Kapo’s eyes widened and she leaned closer. “You are a very shiny crab.”

“Actually, babe, I think I’m the shiniest crab there is.”

Oh no, please. He hadn’t meant to say that.

Kapo laughed. “This realm has the strangest creatures.” She moved like the shadows on a wall. “What is a pretty crab like you doing in a place like this?”

Hello?

“I uh… “ Tamatoa lowered his front legs, making a sweeping gesture with his claws, “I had heard that the great and powerful Kapo could be found here. I came here to see you.”

“Oh?” Kapo looked absolutely delighted.

“There are whispers in Lalotai, that someone has defeated that bothersome Maui. I knew it had to be you. Only Kapo, mistress of powerful and forgotten magic, could be responsible of such an impressive deed.”

“Yes, I suppose you would like to thank me,” Kapo drew herself up, “I know he kills your kind.”

“More than that, we share a common grievance. Maui has stolen from me as well so I had to know what you did.”

That was not entirely a lie.

Kapo looked at Tamatoa with narrowed eyes. “That sounds like him. Then you will be glad to know that I have doomed him to become a shadow of his true self. Trapped in the form of a wretched creature.”

To Tamatoa’s horror, Maui, who had up until that point kept silent, took being called a _wretched creature_ as an insult. Maui screeched and flapped his wings in a way that was probably meant to be threatening. Even as a hawk that guy had an ego the size of the ocean.

“Small confession,” Tamatoa said, “Sort of knew that part already.”

“I wondered where he flew off to. How pleasing that he managed to flee and end up in your vengeful claws. Don’t you think he's more entertaining and pleasant this way?”

“Um yes, barrels of fun,” Tamatoa grabbed Maui to keep the bird from doing something stupid. It wasn’t just because Kapo was watching that he wasn’t as gentle as he could’ve been. “The thing is, love the idea… a little worried I’m going to get a hook to the face any minute. You know how it is, years of being pestered by this bird brain can put anyone on edge.”

Get them talking, Maui once said, works every time. They love talking about how great they are. Tamatoa had ignored the pointed look Maui sent his way that day because who was he to talk?

“I used Kaulu’s left eye. It can steal anything. With it I stole the little trickster’s mind and memories. It was luck that he happened to take the form of a stupid bird just as I did.”

Tamatoa was almost disappointed how well Maui’s little adventuring tip worked. Kapo was one of the big ones.

“And how would one restore his memories? Asking for a friend.”

He sort of was actually.

“Only the right eye of Kaulu can return his mind. It can see anything, even what once was lost.”

Made sense. At least when it came to deities and their magic, Tamatoa supposed.

The goddess clapped her hands gleefully. It made the walls around them shake.

“That’s the best part,” Kapo said, clearly enjoying having someone to tell all of this. “That thieving trickster sealed his own fate. You see, he stole the right Eye of Kaulu from me many years ago. It’s now lost with his memories.”

That was… unexpected. As much as Maui liked to accuse others of stroking their ego, he was no slacker in that department. Tamatoa had heard his tales of great feats and daring several times now. If Maui had pulled off something like that, Tamatoa would’ve known about it. A thousand times over.

Maui hadn’t even heard about the Eye of Kaulu before Tamatoa kindly revealed the information. The only time Maui stole from Kapo, as far as Tamatoa knew, was that whole business with giving fire to the humans. Back when they first met and Maui gave him the…

Oh.

Kapo began reaching for Tamatoa, “Now that you’ve been so kind to bring him back to me, I can rip his wings off for you. It’s just feathers anyhow. You can have the rest of his juicy flesh to feast upon. I get my fun and you get yours.” the goddess purred.

“You know what,” Tamatoa backed away from Kapo’s enormous hand. “I know this is a bit forward, having just met you but could I ask for a favor?”

Kapo’s eyes brightened. They weren’t red like the fire she’d stolen. It was a dark red.

This was dangerous. This was different than doing deals with Maui.

“For a pretty crab like you, I might be willing to grant a favor,” Kapo said.

She had great taste, there was always that.

“I’ve always wanted a pet and humiliating Maui for a few years would be an added bonus. Before I eat him, I mean. Definitely going to eat him, feathers and all. Until then, I think we’re going to get along swimmingly.”

Maui, meanwhile, was fed up with having his wings pressed up and began scratching wildly with his claws and beak.

“What a little scamp,” Tamatoa laughed nervously.

Kapo frowned, “If you’re sure, little crab.”

“I'd be in your debt.”

“Very well then, he’s yours to do with as you please.”

Tamatoa bowed again to be on the safe side and began backing away.

“Come by any time,” Kapo’s voice sounded too small for the enormous body she shifted out of the way for him. “But before you go… “

Tamatoa stopped dead in his tracks.

Kapo smiled, “Give me your name. If I ever need to call upon your favor, my pretty little crab.”

 

*******

 

Tamatoa didn’t stop moving until there was a lot of space between them and Kapo.

Had he met a dark goddess and survived?

Had he tricked a dark goddess and survived?

Although the surviving part had not gone without a hitch. Tamatoa preferred to have favors owed to him and to now owe the goddess Kapo a favor was not something he would call a complete success. She knew his name now. It was particularly tormenting that this could’ve been avoided if he hadn’t rushed in like some… some idiot he knew.

Because of course he kept that gem. The gem Maui had offhandedly taken with him as he was stealing the fire from Kapo. The same gem that he hadn't given any more thought, just something he picked up and then handed over as a gift to a talking crab he'd met along the way. Just another day in the life of Maui, shapeshifter, demigod and so on. 

Even though its shininess rivaled many of his other trinkets, Tamatoa had kept it hidden among the decorations on his shell. He didn't want Maui to see it, to recognize it for what it was... or what he thought it was.

Not for the first time, he reached back to take the gem out for a look. Or rather the right Eye of Kaulu.

With one claw still holding the now very irate Maui and the other holding the Eye, Tamatoa held them both up so he could look at them. He pushed them together a couple of times. Nothing happened.

Maui squawked.

Tamatoa did again just because he could. Still nothing and Maui started scratching at him so he released Maui who flew off. The crab held the Eye up to one of his own eyes. He'd studied it many times during the years, admiring its soft inner glow. Never guessing what it really was. Not thinking about who gave it to him.

Kapo’s domain was sorcery. What if he couldn’t figure out how to get the stupid thing to work? What if only Kapo could use it by some divine ability?

If so, well, Tamatoa had access to some degree of divine being. He looked upwards at the silhouette circling above and held the Eye above his head.

“Here, babe, look at the shiny!” he called out.

The sunlight that filtered through the waters above hit the Eye. It seemed to feed of it and gave off a gleaming reflection of the light. The figure circling above suddenly made a sharp turn in the air and swooped down. Maui was just as interested in the Eye as before. With some effort the hawk carried it off and…

Tamatoa sighed.

… and began pecking at it.

Then, just as with the sunlight, the Eye brightened… and brightened. Tamatoa turned away from the light.

“Hey, crab cake.”

Tamatoa turned his head back, eyes almost popping out. There was Maui clutching his hook with both hands, unharmed but clearly exhausted.

“Mind telling me what happened? I think I got a bit lost.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finishing editing the draft of the the third chapter AND Eurovision in the same day? Good start on a weekend.


	4. Chapter 4

If hadn’t been for the generally unfriendly nature of Lalotai, Maui could see himself taking a nap for anything up to a few hours to a few hundred years. Thankfully other than the distant sound of giant bats no creature of Lalotai made itself known. Maui took the opportunity to collapse as nonchalantly as he could against what looked like a staghorn coral pretending to be a tree. Its brightly colored “leaves” probably attracted all kinds of food but Maui hoped he wasn’t considered to be possible prey.

He was completely and utterly drained. Maui barely had the energy to worry about Tamatoa; even if the crab tried anything he wasn’t sure if he could put a fight. Fortunately, what Tamatoa decided to do was to settle beside him, legs tucked under the large body and his head resting on crossed claws. The crustacean gave him a quick recap and Maui somehow felt proud of how quick on his feet Tamatoa had been when dealing with Kapo. His own confrontation with the goddess hadn’t been one of his best.

To be fair, Tamatoa had eight more feet to be quick on than Maui had.

Although he did have some trouble remembering his first meeting with Kapo since the fire incident. He remembered meeting Kapo and then he was suddenly looking up at Tamatoa’s big face. Most likely he’d still been a bit dazed because he thought that the crab had looked vaguely worried for a second. Everything in between those two points was a big nothingness. A time where he had been someone else, something else.

It was delivered in the usual mocking tone but Tamatoa’s assurance that he had been annoying as usual even as a hawk felt like a relief.

“Bit of an overreaction,” Maui commented casually as Tamatoa finished up his story.

“You did steal from her,” Tamatoa pointed out. “The fire and the Eye of Kaulu, apparently.”

“I didn’t steal the fire.” Maui very easily skipped the part where he actually had stolen something. “Besides, the humans needed the fire more.”

“And they sure were grateful to you for bringing it, weren’t they?”

Tamatoa had a talent for making some of his great deeds sound… not _entirely_ good. Normally, Maui would take this as his cue to escalate the conversation but right now all he wanted to do was sit down and do nothing.

“I think it would be a good idea to leave Kapo alone for now,” Maui said instead.

Tamatoa snorted, “Great plan.”

Maui was going to deal with Kapo. He wasn’t sure exactly how or what he wanted out of it but he would deal with her. Later. Much, much later. Maybe a couple of thousand years later. Yeah. That sounded like a great plan. Kapo could sulk in Lalotai if she liked. Maui meanwhile didn’t even have the energy to really feel offended by the whole ordeal. Channeling the magic of his hook for that extended amount of time had taxed his body more than he ever thought possible. It wasn’t just a physical exertion, his entire spirit felt burnt out.

The question “What would’ve happened if Tamatoa hadn’t decided to help out of the goodness of his shriveled up little heart?” entered Maui’s thoughts and was pushed away immediately. The thought that he had to rely on someone else didn’t sit well with Maui. Especially a crab that had the rude habit to talk about how he was going to eat Maui one of these days. There was also the small sense of gratitude that Maui preferred not to dwell on.

Thankfully his contemplation of the past events came to a halt when he felt a claw nudge him carefully.

“Some great hero you are,” Tamatoa said with a wry smile. “Having to be rescued by a monster.”

“Ha!” Maui slung an arm over his eyes, even that small motion made him let out quiet grunt.

“I could carry you back to my place,” Tamatoa offered in a neutral voice. “Or to one of the gateways out of Lalotai?”

“I might take you up on that, crab cake,” Maui groaned and quickly added: "Not that I need it but it's nice of you to offer."

He let his arm fall down to his side again but kept his eyes closed. He didn’t open them even when he felt Tamatoa move. Not even when a claw pulled him closer to a large body. He kept his eyes closed as something softly felt along his face, over his mouth and nose, up over his closed eyelids.

“There’s something else too… “Maui said, only receiving a disinterested hum in response. “For some reason, my mouth tastes really weird.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Tamatoa said, voice even more neutral than before. “Probably the grubs I fed you. It’s an acquired taste.”

Maui’s eyes shot open.

“Hawks don’t eat grubs!” he tried to sit up but was unforgivingly pushed back.

“That’s why I rescued you,” Tamatoa was looking way too smug for a giant crab that was practically cuddling him. “You were terrible at being a hawk.”

“You’re terrible.”

“Oh no, I’m a _hero_.”

It hurt to laugh but Maui found that he didn't mind.

“Do you remember anything?” Tamatoa asked.

“Not eating grubs, thank the gods.”

“Oh, babe, wish you could’ve seen it. You really went to town on those poor grubs.”

“You’re never going to let me forget that are you?” Maui said with a sigh.

“This is blackmail deluxe with an extra sprinkling of embarrassing.”

“How about I make you forget with a good butt kicking?” Maui suggested, although he wasn’t anywhere near ready to go. Rather he was settling in. Tamatoa may be made out of sharp and hard edges but there was something to be said of having someone with a protective carapace towering over you when you were resting in the middle of Lalotai. Maui could allow this for a while longer.

Tamatoa tsked at him. “I’d like to see that. You can barely lift your arm.”

“Details, now ssshhh. I’m trying to rest here.”

“Did you ssshhh me?”

Kapo might be on to something. Revenge was sweet. Maui closed his eyes once again, he could barely keep them open anyway, why bother?

Tamatoa went quiet and then: “You could convince me to forget, you know. It’s not every day you have a demigod at your mercy. You can be pretty good at convincing.”

Maui felt his face redden at the memory of the last time he convinced Tamatoa. Soft touches and whispered praise. Tamatoa could use his words for both lies and sweet talk. Almost as well as Maui himself. This made it all the more embarrassing that Maui was apparently susceptible to both.

Maui said nothing as the sensation of protection against Lalotai became something more constricting.

“I’ll let you rest up first, babe.”

Maui could hear the pleased grin in Tamatoa’s voice.

 

*******

 

Tamatoa looked on as Maui gave his limbs a little shake out. The demigod had recovered quickly. No surprise there even if this had seemed to hit Maui a little harder than the usual punches he took without breaking a sweat.

“Ready to go back?” Tamatoa asked.

“Not yet.”

It was then Tamatoa realized two things that had him worried for several reasons. One, he hadn't thought to pick up the Eye of Kaulu again after Maui regained his true form. How could he have possibly forgotten about something so pretty?

Two, Maui was holding something shiny in his hand.

Oh, come one...

“ _Mine_ ,” Tamatoa growled. “Give that back.”

“When I’m done with it,” Maui said, his eyes steelier than before.

“This is stupid, even for you.” Tamatoa had a feeling he might be getting too worked up but this was getting tiresome. “If you want to die, give the word and I’ll have you sent off to the next world before you know it.”

“What’s the big deal? I have the Eye now.” Maui said stubbornly, leaning against a large rock like he didn't have a care in world. As if Tamatoa didn't notice the way his shoulder slumped. “I’ll find Nightmarchers, have a look at them and then give you the shiny stone back.”

“You have the Eye of Kaulu. The eye from a god who managed to go and get himself killed.” Tamatoa couldn’t stress that enough, “A god whose whole deal was seeing what others couldn’t see. Then he died. I’m not exactly convinced that the Eye is going to protect you from the Nightmarchers’ curse with that backstory. If you think otherwise you’re more naive than a newly hatched fry.”

“Naive?” Maui snorted. “I’m older than you.”

“That’s debatable because you act like you were born yesterday. You have for as long as I known you." Tamatoa clicked his claws in frustration. "The first time we met you thought I was a talking magic rock."

“You could’ve been!” Maui had the audacity to be offended.

“There’s no such thing as talking magic rocks!” Tamatoa shouted back.

“Hey, guys, hate to interrupt. But I feel I might be able to clear that up for you.”

Maui jumped up from the rock he was leaning against almost at the same time as Tamatoa kicked it as far as he could.

“As I was saying,” Tamatoa continued.

“How long did… did it see us… you know when we… before?” Maui fidgeted, not at all pleased with having been proven partially right. He should've been used to unpredictable nature of Lalotai's landscape.

“It can’t see, it’s a rock. Also, that never happened.” Tamatoa hated it when Maui was right in any capacity.

“It talked.”

He always had to rub it in when he was right.

“Fine, think of it this way. If it could see, we gave it quite a show.” Tamatoa couldn’t help the smugness. “If memory serves me right, and I won’t forget all the pretty noises you made, you in particular gave that rock the time of its life.”

The corner of Maui’s mouth twitched, “I thought I gave that to you.”

“Not really,” Tamatoa said carefully. “I place this one between the time you shapeshifted into a giant crab and pinned me down and the time you got stuck in those seaweeds and I had my wicked way with you.”

Maui gaped. “You rank them?” his voice became slightly shrill at the end.

“Don’t you?”

“No!”

Maui glanced at the remaining rocks but they remained blissfully silent.

“I could’ve gotten out of that seaweed anytime I wanted. I let you do that,” he said, once again getting back his stubbornness.

“Just like you could die anytime you want. Seriously, give the word. If it’s the eaten alive part that worries you I can cut off your head first. It's going to be more merciful than the Nightmarchers. Then I get my shiny gem back right away. It's a win-win.”

No one could say the great Tamatoa couldn’t be kind as well as cruel.

“Listen up, crab cake. Either you help me out or you bow out now.”

With that, Maui walked away. Actually turning his back at one furious giant crab.

Guess this was one of those four out of ten times, Tamatoa thought and kicked another rock. It was petty but he hoped it was one of the talking ones.

 

*******

 

There were a few gateways into Lalotai that most of the assorted immortals, deities and monsters knew about. All of them were guarded or hard to get through. Some of them were both guarded and hard to get through. Unless you were Maui, good looking and a shapeshifter to boot.

Right now Maui thanked whatever god or goddess who was listening, maybe not Kapo, that he had chosen one of the more hidden but unguarded gateways.

He was getting his bearings back but the thought of shapeshifting almost turned his stomach. The passageway he'd fortunately chosen was a tunnel and the entrance was only hard to find if you didn't know where to look. The rest was a long and winding walk upwards to the surface. Unfortunately it made it easy for Tamatoa to follow him.

“I’m not following you.”

Maui didn’t say anything as he walked in front of the crab.

“Just so you know.”

Maui withheld any comments as he wondered why the tunnel suddenly seemed much longer on the way up than the way down.

“I’m simply going the same way as you.”

Maui rolled his eyes though Tamatoa only saw his back. Maybe it was because Tamatoa hadn't shut up for even a second since he started following Maui.

“Completely by chance, you know,” Tamatoa said airily. “Not everything is about you, babe. Ever think about that?”

“The best parts are about me,” Maui said, casting a glance behind his shoulder in time to see Tamatoa raising a claw above his head.

"Really?" he wasn't sure if could take on Tamatoa right now but the important part was to always act like he could. He still had his hook and it was a good reminder of all the times he'd won.

Tamatoa cleared his throat.

"Checking the integrity of this tunnel. Yup." Tamatoa banged a couple of times on the tunnel ceiling. "Good workmanship."

This time Maui rolled his eyes for Tamatoa to see.

After an insufferable amount of time Maui could see the light in the end of the tunnel. Only literally unfortunately as Tamatoa insisted on following him.

The passageway led to a small island, through a large crack in the solidified lava that covered parts of the island. Tamatoa crawled up with some effort and followed Maui to shore where he left his canoe.

“This is it then? You’re going to saaaail away with my Eye,” Tamatoa grumbled.

“No, I’m taking the Eye of Kaulu. You can keep your buggy eye, you bug eyed bottom feeder.”

“I said Eye, not eye.”

“Eye?”

“You’re saying it wrong.”

Maui took a few deep breathes before forcing out through clenched teeth: “I’ll give the _Eye_ back once I’ve seen the Nightmarchers.”

“Right, the Nightmarchers. I forgot about your extravagant suicide plan. Not that I care about that,” Tamatoa gestured wildly with his claws as if to show how much he didn’t care. At the same time the crab scuttled a few steps to the side and managed to not only knock over the canoe but also tear up a gouge in the hull with his claw.

“Oops.”

Maui glared. There was absolutely zero regret in Tamatoa’s voice.

“You know I could turn into a hawk and fly away from here?”

“You sure can,” Tamatoa smirked. “Right then, off you go.”

Maui pursed his lips, still glaring. Absolutely not pouting. Zero pouting being done over here.

“What’s that? Did you say something?”

Tamatoa put one claw up to his head and seriously, he didn’t even have any ears. Probably. Maui was still undecided.

“I’m sorry, man. I can’t hear you over the sound of giant hawk wings.”

Tamatoa put on the most ridiculous surprised face in the history of fake surprise.

“Wait, there’s no giant hawk flapping around at all! How strange!”

Maui marched over to his canoe without a word and took out the small ax he stored there. He wouldn’t deny that there was a certain satisfaction when Tamatoa took few hurried steps back when he turned around.

“Relax, crab cake. I’m not going to use this on you.” Maui walked away from the canoe, keeping one Eye… eye on Tamatoa. “The canoe is still fixable. However, if I get back I find anything else damaged I _am_ going to use my hook on you.” he gave a little wave with the ax as he wandered off into the island’s small forest.

The only response he received was a rude sound.

Really?

Well, never mind. The crab could sulk about the Eye of Kaulu all he wanted. Tamatoa and Kapo could start a club for sulking about things Maui had allegedly stolen from them. It wasn’t as if Maui was actually taking the Eye of Kaulu forever. He always returned the stuff he borrowed from Tamatoa. Usually. It was never worth it anyhow because Tamatoa would take ages to get over every little bauble he lost and Maui wouldn’t need the Eye after he’d seen the Nightmarchers.

The host of wandering spirits seemed far away as Maui wandered through the woods. It was a pleasant enough island with all the coconut and koa trees Maui would need for now. The sun warming his skin and the sound of birds chirping made it seem impossible that something like the Nightmarchers could be anywhere near or even exist in the same world.

Maui stopped by one of koa trees and knelt by it. As he started digging up the sinewy roots to use for repairing the canoe, a small bird landed close by. Maui gave it a nod and continued his work. It was one of usual ‘elepaio birds you saw across the islands. It didn’t have the most stunning plumage and was basically a small ball of fluff with a tiny and pointy beak. Despite its general ordinariness, the bird fearlessly hopped closer, giving slight pause to watch Maui pulling up roots before setting its sight on the koa tree itself. With admirable determination the little thing started to peck at the tree. 

Maui stared at it and felt his stomach turn again. If the 'elepaio was giving this koa its attention the wood was likely infested with bugs and such. He was better off picking another tree to harvest roots from even if the bugs hadn’t gotten to these ones yet. He’d rather not have a reminder of certain facts Tamatoa had revealed.

At least the bird was helpful without the snide commentary.

Soon enough as he had enough for repairs and a little to restock his food supply with, Maui returned to shore. Tamatoa was still there, glaring at the canoe but it looked like the crab had listened to reason. There was no further damage done to the vessel.

The repairs took the better part of the day and the resin he patched it up with hadn’t dried when it started to get dark. Maui decided to set up camp for the night. It would give him some time to think about where to go from here. He cleaned the residual fat and resin from his hand from the repairs and then set out to start a fire.

Surprisingly Tamatoa was still lounging about, sullenly glaring at Maui and the canoe alternatively, not saying much. Maui didn’t dare hope that the silence would last for much longer.

Tamatoa only came closer when the fire was the only source of light and Maui was digging into the fruit and dried fish. He graciously allowed Tamatoa to take a few pieces.

"Nothing's keeping you here," Maui said to at least be the one to break the silence.

"Just making sure I'll get the Eye back."

Maui hummed and took a bite out of one of the wild plums he’d found growing on the island, reluctantly even though it was sweet. Everything still tasted weird.

Strangely, some of 'elepaio hadn't turned down for the night. One of them came hopping out of the woods, drawn to the fire and perhaps any bits of fruit Maui would throw its way. As the bird reached the camp Maui saw the glint in Tamatoa's eyes.

"Not for eating, crab cake," Maui said sternly.

Tamatoa growled at him.

"That's an 'elepaio, they're helpful."

"I'm only allowed to eat useless things? Guess humans are still on the menu."

“Don’t try to be funny, you’re awful at it. Besides, you wouldn’t want to touch them anyway. It could be Lea.”

“What? Who?”

“When you’re building a canoe, well maybe not you specifically, and you see the ‘elepaio pecking away at a tree, every good wayfinder knows to use another tree for their canoe. You know, because it’s probably full with… ” Maui grimaced.

Tamatoa didn’t comment but his grin said enough.

“Anyhow, you never know what’s just a bird and what bird could be Lea. She’s quite fond of canoes and anyone who builds them. Sometimes she takes on the shape of an 'elepaio to help out. She likes me by the way, a master wayfinder and all.”

"Fascinating... "

“She’s the sister of Lono, god of – “

Tamatoa cut him off; “I’m sure the humans are very impressed by all of this name dropping.”

“They are,” Maui assured, “But they never get my impression of Kamohoalii.”

“Tough crowd.”

“I think they’re a bit careful when it comes to laughing at jokes about shark gods. Guy has a lot of sharp teeth.”

“Their loss. That impression is hilarious.”

This always troubled Maui when he thought about it for too long. It was way too easy to forget that they were sort of enemies, well, maybe not enemies but they were sort of having a fight. It was always all too easy to just talk to Tamatoa. Instead of thinking about it, he threw a piece of fruit to the elepaio that happily ate it up.

“You’re welcome,” Maui said and threw it the rest of the fruit.

Tamatoa rolled his eyes at him and then his gaze shifted towards where Maui had placed the Eye by his feet in the sand.

“I know where you can find them. The Nightmarchers.”

Maui looked up from feeding the bird.

Tamatoa made a complicated movement that was equivalent to a shrug, if he had proper shoulders.

“You happen to know a lot I’m interested in lately,” Maui said. “Which just happened to send me straight to Kapo the last time I took directions from you?”

“Well, uh… “ Tamatoa stared into the fire, “That part I didn’t know. Although, I don’t think she was hiding exactly,” the crab looked up at Maui, “Do you want to know where you can find the Nightmarchers are or not?”

“You’re just going to tell me now? No tricks? Maybe a bribe?”

“I’m guessing I’m not getting the Eye of Kaulu back until you do whatever you have to do.”

Maui nodded and gestured for Tamatoa to continue. Though Tamatoa didn't look as pleased as he usually did when he got Maui to shut up.

 

*******

 

The next morning Maui woke up feeling almost back to his usual self. Tamatoa didn't comment even as he pushed his canoe out to sea.

 “You can wait if you like,” Maui said. “I’ll give you the Eye when I get back.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for eternity.” Tamatoa said, his eye stalks drooping.

Maui set off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing basically happens but I think I delivered the same amount of scenes existing almost only because I wanted to make a dumb joke as the previous three chapters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Editing this chapter took forever because Life getting in the way. Fortunately in a good way but it feels like I've only had time to edit one sentence per day for this chapter.

As per Tamatoa’s directions the island wasn’t too far off. Maui made good time but as he closed in on the island the wind and ocean became dead calm.

“Ooooh, ominous,” Maui muttered as he paddled the last bit before jumping into the water to pull the canoe safely to shore.

The sun was high in the sky and in broad daylight there wasn’t anything that revealed why this particular island would be of special interest for the Nightmarchers. If hadn’t been for Tamatoa, Maui would’ve most likely passed it unless he needed to re-supply. Maui had expected it to be more… dramatic. However there was something there, barely tangible, like something you saw in the corner of your eye that set it apart from the island he’d just left. It took a while for Maui to realize what it was. There was nothing. Since the wind died down there was only the steady sound of the waves rolling in over the sand. No birds, no insects, no sound at all.

Tamatoa hadn’t explained it exactly why this place was special. For once in his life the crab had decided to be cryptic. He’d muttered something about the abandoned places left room for those caught in between. Then he went on a long spiel about history and time leaving scars that turned to gateways. The details were fuzzy since Maui had tuned out for most of it, nodding in what he hoped was at the right time. He remembered enough of it even if he had been confused. Usually Tamatoa wasn’t the kind of crab that had to be persuaded into bragging about every little juicy bit of information he possessed. He hoarded the stuff almost as much as treasure. He probably hoped Maui would’ve gotten bored and handed the Eye back right away.

Other than the eerie atmosphere Maui couldn’t see what set this island apart from any other. The crab better hope Maui was going to find what he was looking for, he was not in the mood for another dead end.

Maybe not the best choice of words, Maui thought, as he surveyed his surroundings.

The great demigod did not shiver as he stood on the empty beach. It was just Tamatoa being weird, he told himself. Don’t forget who you are. Maui isn’t afraid and Maui can do what no one else has ever done. He was going to see the Nightmarchers.

With that thought, Maui ventured towards the center of the island. According to Tamatoa that was his best bet as lookout point for the Nightmarchers. Hook in hand and the Eye safely in a pouch he’d tied with leather straps around his neck.

 

*******

 

It had been some time since he lost sight of Maui and Tamatoa still hadn’t returned to Lalotai. But he wasn’t waiting around or anything. Definitely not waiting. It was just that he didn’t have anything better to do.

Other than getting back to check on all of his unguarded treasure.

Which he would.

Any minute now.

But if Maui realized how stupid he was being Tamatoa wouldn’t want to miss him come crawling back.

Tamatoa slumped, sinking down into the sand, close to the trees that offered some shade.

Maui wasn’t coming back.

He was never going to the Eye back.

This wasn’t fair because Maui had given it to him and he’d tricked a ridiculously terrifying goddess for that idiot.

Maybe the Eye actually worked the way Tamatoa had said. Even if he was basically making it up as he went. He was usually always right.

But oh… if the Eye worked… the Nightmarchers would still see Maui just as he saw them. That couldn’t be good.

Stupid, stupid Maui. Everything came back to that idiot.

But wouldn’t it be better? With Maui gone there would be no one who dared to try stealing or _borrowing_ from him anymore. It would just be Tamatoa and his treasure. In peace. All alone. No chatty demigod barging in whenever he felt like it. A shame, really. There were not many monsters that could be quite so entertaining in so many different ways.

Tamatoa knocked over a few trees. It didn’t make him feel any better but at least they didn’t talk back like Maui. The… what did Maui call them...? The ‘elepaio watched his senseless destruction. Tamatoa considered if eating one of them would make him feel better. But then that would also require Maui coming back and getting angry with him. Otherwise it was just a slightly filling appetizer.

“Some help you were,” Tamatoa spat. “It’s your fault really. I bet you helped him repair his canoe. That’s what Maui said you do, isn’t it?”

He looked at the ‘elepaio. It was just them and Tamatoa on the beach. Tamatoa looked around suspiciously and then regarded the seemingly innocent birds with skepticism. Maui had said something about a goddess who disguised herself as a bird. Then again Maui said a lot of things.

“This really is your fault. If you really like him, master wayfinder and all.” Tamatoa couldn’t help rolling his eyes as he said it. “Can’t you help him? I mean… “

Tamatoa already owed a goddess. He didn’t really want to owe another one. Possibly. The birds chirped and stared at him blankly because of course. They were just birds.

 

*******

 

When he started his hike towards the middle of the island the sun had been high in the sky. Now it seemed like he’d never lassoed the sun and it was going at its former breakneck speed. Maui could barely see his hands in front of him even with his great, if not amazing, eyesight. That could also have something to do with the thick fog that had rolled over the island has he left the beach. Seemingly out of nowhere.

“Overdoing the ominousness,” Maui said to absolutely no one. It only made him feel a little better.

He narrowed his eyes. There was something up ahead. As Maui neared it he could see it more clearly. Or as clearly as the fog allowed. It was clearing located almost perfectly in the middle of the island and with some difficulty Maui could make out strange shapes in the gloom.

The strange shapes turned out to be raised platforms. Rock formations and mounds in different styles but all carefully made by someone and decorated with equal care with pebbles and seashells. Great care and thought had gone into constructing all of the platforms that now seemed forgotten, left in disarray. Most were partially demolished but here and there Maui could see places where they had been completely razed to the ground. As he walked deeper into the clearing Maui felt something break under his foot. He knew what it was before he looked down.

A bone.

And he looked around.

Bones. Lots and lots of bones. Scattered all over the clearing. Almost systematically unearthed and then dumped on the ground like they were nothing.

This had been… was… a graveyard and someone had… Maui unconsciously tightened the grip on his hook. There was no one around to fight but how he wished there had been someone within arm’s reach to punish for this.

He had always known death as a mere observer. Watched as the humans went out like lights in the night.

How did Tamatoa know about this place? Had he… no. Tamatoa was cruel and vindictive. Downright a despicable bottom feeder. But not like this. There wasn’t a royal mausoleum that could’ve been filled with riches to honor the chief. These had been humans who toiled all their life and when they passed into the next world, their families had marked their place in the world with care but with the simple means they had. Their final resting place simply marked out as a testament to yet another life ending and a new one beginning.

Tamatoa wouldn’t care about that, wouldn’t care about human customs, but he wouldn’t do anything like this. It hit Maui that it was most likely other humans responsible for this. They had tendency for pointless acts of cruelty and spite.

All that was left was a once sacred place in ruins, not by time but by human hand. This was the sort of place the Nightmarchers were drawn to. What kind of great warriors were they? What had they become?

Around him the leaves suddenly rustled as their branches moved, not like when the breeze weaved through them, it was twitching movement. Like the island was shivering.

Maui knew they were close when he heard the drums.

A steady, unforgiving beat.

Moving through the trees were flickering lights, moving closer to Maui.

The drums stopped, only for the sudden sound of a conch. A high moaning sound that seemed to cut through the fog.

Maui was on his own now, but he wasn’t alone on the island anymore.

The drums came back with great force, the drumming growing louder and louder as the flickering lights drew closer. That was when the Nightmarchers started chanting. Their voices rising just as steadily as the drumming, soon drowning out all other sound. Their voices seemed to push their way right into Maui’s head. The chanting and drumming seemingly coming from inside his own head.

This was fine.

Completely fine.

He had the Eye.

He was going to see the Nightmarchers, the wandering spirits. Lost to this world and unable to find their way to the next no matter how long they marched. Maui’s mouth felt dry but he stood his ground. He was Maui. Shapeshifter. Demigod. Hero.

Maui would look upon the Nightmarchers and he would know them. The wandering spirits, lost to this world with no way to the next. They were lost. Unlike Maui who had everything to lose.

Maui backed away, away from the desecrated graves, closer to the trees where he first had come from. The sound of drums was loud, almost as loud as the Nightmarchers themselves.

Still, he heard the voice behind him as clear as if it had been quiet.

“Run, Maui!” the voice said.

And Maui turned and ran. As fast as he could over roots and the underbrush. He could still hear the drumming; he could still hear their chant. The low moaning reverberated among the trees. Branches scraped but he didn’t care. Maui didn’t know how he avoided the trees themselves in the fog, they seemingly popped up like the coconut tree he himself planted. He didn’t know where he was going until the voice spoke again: “Left!”

That would let the Nightmarchers gain on him or maybe that didn’t matter. Maybe they would get him no matter what. They had stopped chanting. Now the Nightmarchers were screaming. Their voices forming into one. Almost hitting him with the force of a gale out to sea. Maui made a sharp turn and continued running.

He reached the smaller clearing. Now what? He could still barely see anything because of the damp fog. The Nightmarchers were almost upon him.

The voice returned: “You must close your eyes, Maui.”

If he did they would get him. If he stopped running.

“Please, Maui. Your friend is still waiting.”

And Maui closed his eyes.

The moment he did there was a terrible force all around him, like being caught in the middle of a storm. It was colder than the worst winds he had experienced out on the ocean. Worse than the deepest part of Lalotai. The Nightmarchers had stopped chanting now. They were whispering.

It pushed him back and his step faltered.

Maui didn’t have time to finish the thought as something slammed into him, knocking the air out of him and knocking him down to his knees.

“Face the ground!” the voice said from somewhere above.

You’re going to die, he thought. You’re just letting them kill you now. Lying down for slaughter. Maui did as the voice said. He had trusted it this far. With his face down to the ground Maui waited for the final blow. Only there wasn’t any.

It was quiet. Like before. No sense of unholy spirits moving around him. No deadly attacks.

Maui waited and then he opened his eyes. He was laying on his front in yet another clearing. Much smaller than the gravesite. There wasn’t much of note here. Maui had seen the great heiau erected by chiefs who wished to put their mark on the world, no matter how briefly they had been around. Grand temples befitting great gods and goddesses. This was nothing like that. A few unmarked rocks placed around a simple pole erected in the middle of the small clearing. Simply made but with the same care that had been given to the graves.

There was not much left. Only a bowl that once been filled with small offerings. Next to it laid a carved piece of wood, more like a child’s toy than anything else. It was crude but it was easy to see what it was supposed to be with the small mast in the middle. A simple gift.

Still, Lono always said that he appreciated the effort, no matter how small.

An 'elepaio chirped somewhere in the trees above him.

 

*******

 

The return journey went faster than Maui remembered it before. He was happy to see that Tamatoa was still where he left him. Pacing the beach, almost not noticing Maui and when he did he looked surprised and… relieved?

Tamatoa said nothing as Maui pulled up his canoe. Maui didn’t really know where to start so he went to what Tamatoa was probably waiting for.

“You know what?” Maui cleared his throat. “The Eye was a gift even if I didn’t know what it was. It’s yours.”

Tamatoa stared at glittering gem in Maui’s outstretched hand for a moment before hesitantly plucking the Eye from Maui’s hand.

“Just like that?” Tamatoa said, his voice wavering like he couldn’t decide what the situation here actually was. “No tricks?”

“No tricks, crab cake.”

Tamatoa eyed him suspiciously.

“You’re not going to- “

“- I’m not going to punch you in the throat again,” Maui finished for him with a smile and shrugged. “I figured the Nightmarchers have been wandering around for a long time. They can wait a bit before meeting the great Maui. Shapeshifter. Demigod of- “

“Yeah, yeah, I know who you are,” Tamatoa seemed to get back to things as he rolled his eyes which was always fun to watch. He never did it in a particularly coordinated fashion. “You’re giving up on this whole thing even with all the trouble you went through? That I went through?”

Maui shrugged again.

“Well, I got you to come along on an adventure, without any frolicking too. Could’ve done without the part when I ate bugs.”

Tamatoa snickered gracefully.

“Maybe that was my plan all along.”

“Hm… whatever helps you sleep at night,” but for once Tamatoa didn’t push it… too much. “You didn’t even try to see the Nightmarchers then?”

“Nope.”

“Then why do you uh… look kind of like you’ve had quick roll around on the beach with a shark. Did Kamohoalii hear that you’ve made him part of your comedy routine? You’ve looked better, babe, is all I’m saying.”

Maui scratched the back of his neck, not at all avoiding looking at Tamatoa. If he had it would’ve been a bit difficult because Tamatoa’s eye stalks were more flexible than his entire neck.

“This? I walked into a tree.”

“You walked into a tree?” Tamatoa deadpanned.

“Several trees?” Maui tried and finally looked at Tamatoa who sighed.

The crab was fidgeting like he didn’t know what to do with himself now that he had the Eye back.

“So um… “ Maui apparently had to take the first step.

At the same time Tamatoa said: “You look like a mess.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying, maybe you should lie low for a while. I happen to know a great place to do it and uh… the offer to carry you still stands.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Tamatoa glared at Maui.

“Yeah, you know. That sounds great actually.” Maui flashed a smile. The days were catching up to him. “I have to do something before we go.”

He walked over to the trees where ‘elepaio were watching him intently

“The assist was appreciated. Tell Lono I said hi.”

Tamatoa groaned behind Maui, “What’s wrong with you? Stop assuming everything can talk.”

The bird warbled cheerily, “Says the giant crab!”

“I know, right?” Maui said and felt a strange fondness for the large crustacean as Tamatoa started to scream.

*******

 

As he laid back on Tamatoa’s glittering shell, not the most comfortable spot in the world but right now he didn’t care. Someone had once told him a break now then was good for you.

“I think I get those farming parables now,” Maui muttered. It was a little worrying.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

It didn’t escape Maui’s notice that Tamatoa kept one eye on him the as he lay completely content on the crab’s carapace. Antennae would occasionally dip down to weave through his hair or follow along a line of ink.

“Were you worried about me?” Maui asked with a grin, giving one of the feelers a little caress.

The antennae shuddered and quickly pulled away.

“Don’t be stupid.”

Maui couldn’t have made his grin smaller even if he’d wanted to. “You like me.”

Tamatoa muttered something unintelligible.

“You did rescue me,” Maui singsonged.

A purr; “That I did. So, what do you usually do with the pretty things you rescue?”

“Eh… “

“I’m quite interested in taking my reward when we get back to my place.”

“I don’t take anything from them,” Maui muttered, “They offer.”

“Are you going to offer?” Tamatoa looked absolutely too pleased with himself.

Maui pulled himself up so he rested against Tamatoa’s neck, where it met the crab’s shell. He gave his friend a little scratch making the antennae curl.

“We’ll see,” Maui said, “There’s just one thing I’m wondering about.”

“I’m sure… “ The crab’s voice rumbled low, “A little to left, yeah, that’s the spot.”

“What exactly did you plan to get out of this when you offered me the Eye of Kaulu? I mean you didn’t know you had it from the start or that Kapo would be there.”

When he didn’t get an answer Maui patted Tamatoa carefully. The crab’s eye stalks went ever this way except towards Maui.

“Wait a minute, was this all about the Nightmarchers?” Maui’s eyes widened, “You didn’t want me to go!”

Tamatoa made a sudden stop, jostling Maui. “Why wait? I can take my reward right here,” Tamatoa turned his head to bare his teeth at Maui.

“You were trying to distract me,” Maui continued, completely unaffected by Tamatoa’s glare.

“As if I’d care that much.”

Maui laughed even if it still made his chest smart a bit.

“Let’s see how much you’ll be laughing when all the monsters you’ve terrorized sees the mighty Maui quiver beneath me.”

Now Tamatoa was just getting dramatic.

“You even sent that magic eel to get me. Pretty eager for a guy who doesn’t care.”

“Knew I should’ve eaten that eel… “

“Admit it, you like me”, Maui patted the crab. “It’s okay. I like you too.”

“I don’t like... “ Tamatoa suddenly went silent as his eyes moved in close, looking at Maui from two different sides.

Maui gave Tamatoa one of his best winning smiles.

“Oh no… “ The crab practically whimpered.

“Don't worry about it, it happens to the best of them,” Maui reassured. “And the worst.”

The crab’s eyes were changing size wildly.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re alright for a giant crab, Tamatoa. Go on, you can touch my hair if you want and I know you want to. I’ll have you know I think it’s even gotten silkier since last time.” Maui lowered his voice, “The secret is coconut milk.”

Tamatoa unceremoniously grabbed Maui and threw him off.


End file.
